Johannesburg's mayoral committee member for transport, Rehana Moosajee, informs motorists of public tranport month

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Friday, 20 October is Car Free Day

MEC launches Public Transport Month Park your car in the garage and hop on a bus, taxi or train. It is October and that means it is Public Transport Month again. October 2, 2006 By Lucky Sindane THE Gauteng government has called on those who generally use private vehicles to use taxis, buses and trains during October, Public Transport Month. Public Transport Month was officially launched by Gauteng MEC for public transport, roads and works, Ignatius Jacobs, on Sunday, 1 October in Newtown. A series of projects will be rolled out during the month aimed at broadening the platform to exchange ideas on how to improve public transport in the province. Jacobs explained that a partnership was necessary to bring about change in the sector. "What will gauge the level of success in our Public Transport Month campaign will not necessarily be the overnight emergence of a reliable public transport system, but a growing and all-inclusive partnership for change on matters of public transport for our province." According to Jacobs, 50 percent of motorised passenger trips are made on public transport and 50 percent using private transport; most trips in the peak periods are to school (47 percent) and 32 percent are to work; three-quarters of public transport users have incomes of R1 600 a month or less; 68 percent of households do not own cars; 13 percent of households generate no peak period trips and 40 percent of households generate no work trips because of unemployment and lack of income. One of the month's highlights is Car Free Day on Friday, 20 October. "Car Free Day is an international campaign aimed at saving the environment from the effects of the emission of harmful gasses into the atmosphere and improving the usage and state of public transport," Jacobs said. "Last year during Car Free Day we had many people who criticised us and many who congratulated us for the wonderful campaign. This year we are going to make it bigger and better." Jacobs also announced the Intelligent Transport System pilot project on the N1 between Joburg and Tshwane, which will run from Monday, 23 October until Friday, 27 October. The project aims to reduce traffic congestion on that stretch of the road. It involves one lane being open only to cars carrying two or more people, buses and taxis. Representatives from provincial and local government get ready for public transport month "The department is working together with South African National Roads Agency Limited, traffic management authorities, automobile associations and other key role players who will be deployed in the area during the period," Jacobs explained. "There will be electronic communication boards along the area that will inform drivers from which time till what time they can use the road." The 36km route will run from St Andrews Road in Joburg to Rooihuiskraal in Centurion. "This year we [also] aim to cover more ground as we continue to roll out public participation programmes for the good of the economy and the welfare of our country," Jacobs added. "The idea of public transport month and Car Free Day is one of such recommended practices where countries are encouraged to raise awareness and help communities to use public transport." Jacobs also used the opportunity to issue the first 10 public passenger transport operating licences in Gauteng. The licences are part of the national Taxi Recapitalisation Programme. "This issuing is only a token of the good foundation we have laid working hand-in-hand in a growing partnership to modernise the taxi industry," he said. "Taxi associations have made a huge contribution to the high levels of co-operation and response we have received from taxi-type operators." Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page Send an online postcard E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za